WEBVTT THEY NEED TO DO SOMETHING TOSTOP IT.>> WE'RE IN EVERY COMMUNITY. PEOPLE FEEL COMFORTABLE COMINGTO A FIRE STATION.KIM: THAT'S THE IDEA BEHIND THENEW SAFE STATIONS PROGRAM INANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, THE LATESTEFFORT TO HELP CURB THE GROWINGHEROIN AND OPIOID MISUSEEPIDEMIC.ANYONE WHO NEEDS HELP CAN WAIN TO ANY FIRE STATION TO GET ITIMMEDIATELY.>> THE FIRST THING WE'LL DO IS AMEDICAL SCREENING, JUST TO MAKESURE THERE'S NO UNDERLYINGISSUES, BECAUSE ONE OF THETHINGS IS YOU HAVE TO BE HEALTHYTO ENTER A PROGRAM.KIM: IF THERE ARE NO MEDICALISSUES, THE FIRE STATION WILLCONTACT THE COUNTY CRISISRESPONSE SYSTEM.>> OUR MENTAL HEALTH CLINICIANSWILL FOLLOW UP WITH THEMIMMEDIATELY. SO IF IT'S HERE, WE WILL COMERIGHT TO THE FIRE STATION,24-HOURS A DAY, AND ASSESS THEMFOR THEIR READINESS FOR CHANGEKIM: FROM THERE, THE CRS CANCONNECT THE PATIENT WITHWHATEVER PROGRAMS AND SERVICESARE AVAILABLE FOR THEIR UNIQUESITUATION. AND, UNLIKE TREATMENT FROM AEMERGENCY ROOM, THEY CONTINUE TOFOLLOW THEM THROUGHOUT THECOURSE OF THEIR RECOVERY.>> THE THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKINGAT IS GETTING THEM INTOTREATMENT, MAKING SURE THEYFOLLOW UP WITH TREATMENT, ANMAKING SURE THAT ALSO WHEN THEYCOME OUT OF AN INPATIENT BEDTHEY CONTINUE THEIR TREATMENT INAN OUTPATIENT SETTING.SO, A LOT OF TIMES IT'S HANDHOLDING, HELPING THEM FROM ONESTEP TO ANOTHER.KIM: ANOTHER BIG PIECE OF THEPUZZLE IS REMOVING BARRIERS TOTREATMENT.SOME OF THOSE NEEDING HELP COULDBE FACING CRIMINAL CHARGES, BUTTHE STATE'S ATTORNEY SAYS THEYWILL DELAY LEGAL ACTION UNTILAFTER TREATMEN>> MY OFFICE WILL WORKCONSISTENTLY WITH NOT ONLY OFIRST RESPONDERS, OUR MEDICALCOMMUNITY, BUT ALSO WITH OURCOURT SYSTEM, AND OURCOMMISSIONERS TO GIVE THESEPEOPLE THE CHANCE TO LAY DOWNTHEIR NEEDLE, TO STEP INTOTREATMENT.KIM: THE SAFE STATIONS PROGRIS EFFECTIVE AS OF TODAY.OFFICIALS THINK THEY'LL GET THEMOST WALK-INS IN THE EVENINGSAND ON THE WEEKENDS.IN ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, KIMDACEY, WBAL-TV 11 NEWS.STAN: KIM SAYS THE PROGRAM SEEMS

So far this year, Anne Arundel County has averaged three overdoses per day and more than two deaths per week. That's why county officials say they need to stop it.

"We're in every community people feel comfortable coming to a fire station," Anne Arundel County Fire Department Chief Allan Graves said.

That's the idea behind the new Safe Stations program in Anne Arundel County. The latest effort to help curb the growing heroin and opioid misuse epidemic. Anyone who needs help can walk in to any fire station to get it immediately.

"The first thing we'll do is a medical screening just to make sure there's no underlying issues because one of the things is you have to be healthy to enter a program," Graves said.

If there are no medical issues, the fire station will contact the county crisis response system.

"Our mental health clinicians will follow up with them immediately so if it's here we will come right to the fire station 24 hours a day and assess them for their readiness for change," said Jen Corbin, director of Crisis Response System.

From there, the CRS can connect the patient with whatever programs and services are available for their unique situation. And, unlike treatment from an emergency room, they continue to follow them throughout the course of their recovery.

"The things that we're looking at is getting them into treatment making sure they follow up with treatment and also that they come out of an inpatient bed, they're continuing their treatment in an outpatient setting, so a lot of times its hand holding helping them from one step to another," Corbin said.

Another big piece of the puzzle is removing barriers to treatment. Some of those needing help could be facing criminal charges, but the state's attorney said they will delay legal action until after treatment.

"My office will work consistently with not only our first responders our medical community, but also with our court system and our commissioners to give these people the chance to lay down their needle to step into treatment," Anne Arundel County State's Attorney Wes Adams said.

The Safe Stations program starts Thursday. Officials think they'll get the most walk-ins in the evenings and on the weekends.

The program seems to be working already. Fire officials said that Thursday afternoon, someone already came into a station for help.